MANILA

capital and chief city of the Philippines. Located on Luzon island about 700 mi (1,100 km) southeast of Hong Kong, the city has for four centuries been the economic, political, social, and cultural centre of the Philippines. It is the focus of the country's industrial development, as well as the international port of entry. The following article treats briefly the modern city of Manila. Fuller treatment is provided in the following Macropaedia articles. For history and contemporary life, see Manila; for additional perspective on the city in its national context, see Philippines. Manila and its contiguous cities and municipalities form a single unit known as Metropolitan Manila (National Capital Region). The city spreads along the eastern shore of Manila Bay, a large inlet with access to the sea, to the southwest, through a channel 12 mi wide. It occupies the low, narrow deltaic plain of the Pasig River, which flows northwestward to Manila Bay out of a large lake, Laguna de Bay, southeast of the city. The city is an excellent port site because of its sheltered harbour, its access to inland agricultural areas by way of the river, and its relative proximity to the Asian mainland. Manila's tropical climate is characterized by a wet season (June to November), a dry season (December to May), and a year-round temperature of about 81 F (27 C). Manila has experienced rapid economic development since its destruction in World War II and its subsequent rebuilding. Its diverse manufacturing activities include publishing and printing, food processing, and the production of textiles, paints, pharmaceuticals, aluminum articles, rope and cordage, shoes, tobacco goods, coconut oil, soap, and lumber. As the centre of trade and finance in the Philippines, Manila is the home of several major banks, government and private insurance companies, and the Manila Stock Exchange. The heavily populated Tondo district on the northern shore of the Pasig River is the site of Manila North Harbor, the local port, while the international port, Manila South Harbor, is on the southern shore. The district of San Miguel is the site of Malacaang Palace, the presidential residence; Intramuros is renowned for its 16th-century San Agustin Church and other historical sites. Architectural styles reflect American, Spanish, Chinese, and Malayan influences. As the education centre of the country, Greater Manila houses many of the major institutions of higher learning, including the University of the Philippines (with its main campus in Quezon City), the University of the City of Manila, and the Technological University of the Philippines. The heart of the country's performing arts activities is the Philippine Cultural Center. Other theatres include the Folk Arts, the historic Metropolitan, and an open-air theatre in Rizal Park. The many libraries and museums include the National Library, the National Museum, the National Institute of Science and Technology, the geological museum of the Bureau of Mines, and the archival Kamaynilaan (Manila City) Library and Museum. Within Metropolitan Manila public transportation is provided by buses, jeepneys (small buses built on the chassis of jeeps), and taxis. Railways connect the city with northern and southeastern Luzon, but do not serve the port area. Interisland and international transportation is provided by shipping and by air services; Manila International Airport is located about 5 mi south of the city. Area city is 14.9 sq mi (38 sq km); metropolitan area, 246 sq mi (636 sq km). Pop. (1980) city, 1,630,485; metropolitan area, 5,925,900. capital and chief city of the Philippines. The city is the centre of the country's economic, political, social, and cultural activity. It is located on Luzon Island and spreads along the eastern shore of Manila Bay at the mouth of the Pasig River. The city's name, originally Maynilad, is derived from that of the nilad plant, a flowering shrub adapted to marshy conditions, which once grew profusely along the banks of the river; the name was shortened first to Maynila and then to its present form. The city proper encompasses an area of approximately 15 square miles (38 square kilometres). In 1975, by presidential decree, Manila and its contiguous cities and municipalities were integrated to function as a single administrative region, known as Metropolitan Manila (also called the National Capital Region), with an area of 246 square miles. Manila has been the principal city of the Philippines for four centuries, and it is the centre of its industrial development as well as the international port of entry. It is situated on one of the finest sheltered harbours of the Far East, about 700 miles (1,100 kilometres) southeast of Hong Kong. The city has undergone rapid economic development since its destruction in World War II and its subsequent rebuilding; it is now plagued with the familiar urban problems of pollution, traffic congestion, and overpopulation. Measures have been taken, however, to ameliorate these problems. Additional reading General discussions on the history, government, economy, and living conditions in Manila include Teodoro A. Agoncillo and Milagros C. Guerrero, History of the Filipino People, 5th ed. (1977); Alfonso J. Aluit, The Galleon Guide to Manila, 3rd ed. (1973); Miguel Anselmo Bernad, The Western Community of Manila: A Profile (1974); Robert E. Huke, Shadows on the Land: An Economic Geography of the Philippines (1963); Luning B. Ira, Streets of Manila (1977); The Philippine Atlas, vol. 1, A Historical, Economic and Educational Profile of the Philippines (1975); Domingo C. Salita, Geography and Natural Resources of the Philippines (1974).Specific treatment on population, housing, charter provisions, needs, and resources of the capital city may be found in The Fookien Times Philippine Yearbook 1975, Towards a Metropolitan Manila; National Census And Statistics Office, 1975 Integrated Census of the Population and Its Economic Activities (1975); Philippine Yearbook 1977; Philippine Law Report, vol. 11, no. 2 (February 1976); Metro Manila, vol. 1 (February 1977 ); Metro Manila Research Team, Restructuring Government in Metropolitan Manila (1973). See also Robert R. Reed, Colonial Manila: The Context of Hispanic Urbanism and Process of Morphogenesis (1978); Ernesto M. Pernia and Cayetano W. Paderanga, Urbanization and Spatial Development in the Philippines (1980); Visitacion R. De La Torre, Landmarks of Manila, 15711930 (1981); Emily Hahn, The Islands: America's Imperial Adventure in the Philippines (1981). Domingo C. Salita